Lesson 17 - You don't have to like me.

I'm a caring person, and I'm a giver... but I'm not a people-pleaser by nature. Maybe it's my Jersey roots, my Italian heritage, I really don't know but I'm not the type to bend over backwards just to prove my worth to anyone. The older I get, the more I realize that not everyone has to like you. Not everyone will. In fact, a lot of people won't and most times there won't even be a reason for it, and that's okay.

Recently, a friendship of mine went sour. I took a moment to look back on our relationship and remembered all of the complaints the person had about my personality traits and how often they misunderstood me. I came to the realization that, really, at the end of the day... they just didn't like me. That's okay, you don't have to, and I don't have to like you. Just because we went to the same school, or share a lot of the same friends, doesn't mean we have to be besties, braid each others hair and share milkshakes on a Friday night. There are enough people in the world that you should never have to work so hard at making something work with one specific person if you don't think it's worth it.

This is me, take it or leave it. If you don't like it... kick rocks.